MALIGNANT GLIOMAS (HB 2012)

This issue of Radiation Medicine Rounds discusses the more salient topics surrounding the role of radiation therapy for malignant gliomas. The specialty of radiation therapy has increased in complexity over the years, yet as technology improves, the goal of improving outcomes while decreasing toxicity remains critical. Malignant gliomas remain among the most devastating of all malignancies, yet as conventional treatments (surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy) have become optimized overall survival has improved. The underlying molecular and genetic mechanisms of these tumors are becoming better understood, with one of the most important realizations being that histopathologically identical malignant gliomas often demonstrate very distinct clinical behaviors. Malignant Gliomas provides the practitioner with a current overview of best practices, recent research, and future directions in the management of this complex and challenging cancer. "

Arnab Chakravarti, MD, Chair and Professor, Department of Radiation Oncology Max Morehouse Chair of Cancer Research, Co-Director, Brain Tumor Program, Arthur G. James Comprehensive Cancer Center and Richard L. Solove Research Institute, The Ohio State University Medical School

Martin Fuss, MD, Professor and Vice Chair, Director Program in Image-guided Radiation Therapy, Department of Radiation Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University

Charles R. Thomas, Jr., MD is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Radiation Medicine and Professor of Hematology/Oncology at the Oregon Health & Science University Cancer Institute.